Prince Owusu-Ansa of Asante, 1823-1884

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Periodical article

Title:	Prince Owusu-Ansa of Asante, 1823-1884
Author:	Owusu-Mensa, Kofi
Year:	1978
Periodical:	Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria
Volume:	9
Issue:	3
Period:	December
Pages:	23-44
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Ghana Great Britain
Subjects:	colonization Ashanti polity traditional rulers Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) History and Exploration
Abstract:	In 1831 Prince Owusu-Ansa of Asante and his cousins Prince Nkwantabisa, were officially inaugurated into Asante-British diplomacy. The Maclean Treaty of April 1831 was an important landmark in the lives of these Kumase princes. They were given to Maclean by King Osei Yaw Akoto (1824-1834) as hostages for Asante fidelity to Maclean's imposed treaty, The Asantehene and Maclean decided to open new vistas for the princes beyond the narrow confines of Kumase, acquaint them with the English language and people, and associate them with Fante thoughts and feelings so that eventually they would become, for the rest of their lives, ambassadors of peace between Asante on one hand and the British and the Fante on the other, as well as 'the medium of intelligent influence in the hinterland'. This article describes the education the princes got in Britain and their further careers after their return in Kumase. - Notes.